BAYONNE – The owners of CarePoint hospitals in Bayonne and Jersey City and the union representing the bulk of Bayonne Medical Center’s workers came to tentative, one-year contracts for both facilities on Thursday, July 31.

Officials of CarePoint and the Emerson-based Health Professionals and Allied Employees forged the new collective bargaining agreements in the early morning hours, a union spokeswoman said. The contract at Christ Hospital in Jersey City had expired on May 31, and the one at Bayonne Medical Center was due to expire July 31.

The new agreements, both of which would expire on June 30 next year will be voted on by HPAE workers at Bayonne Medical Center and Christ Hospital next week, union spokeswoman Jeanne Otersen said in a written statement.

CarePoint and HPAE began joint negotiations covering the two pacts late last week.

“This is an agreement that reflects our priorities as caregivers in both the Jersey City and Bayonne communities, and an agreement that will help us recruit and retain qualified staff for both hospitals,” said John Bauer, a registered nurse and president of the HPAE local at Bayonne Medical Center. “It was important that we spoke as one group at the bargaining table, to set the standards our communities need and deserve.”

“Both groups of workers will hold membership meetings next week to vote on approval of the tentative agreements,” Otersen said, “and details will be held until the membership meetings.”

There are more than 1,200 nurses and health care workers represented by the union at the two hospitals. –Joseph Passantino